Mom's tip to police leads to son's meth arrest

Guffey

Published: Monday, October 1, 2012 at 05:04 PM.

A Gastonia man’s mother reported her son to police when she thought he might be making meth.

Gastonia Police came to a home on Jannee Court Friday night and found items that were consistent with a meth lab, prompting an investigation and a call to the State Bureau of Investigation, which responds whenever a suspected meth lab is reported by local authorities.

Police arrested Patrick Karl Guffey, 22, of 1108 Jannee Court early Monday. He faces charges of manufacturing methamphetamine and having substances used to make meth. Guffey is being held at Gaston County Jail under a $137,121 bond for meth-related charges and other charges including misdemeanor larceny, failure to comply with an officer, two counts of failing to appear and delivering drugs.

Guffey had a “shopping list of ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine,” according to a Gastonia Police report. Police found two Walgreen receipts showing the purchase of Sudafed.

One of Sudafed’s main ingredients — pseudoephedrine — is used to treat the common cold. It can also be used to create meth.

Police are waiting on a chemical analysis from the state SBI to verify that what police discovered was actually meth. Police are looking at two locations, 1108 Jannee Court where both Guffey and his mother live and a home next door.

A Gastonia man’s mother reported her son to police when she thought he might be making meth.

Gastonia Police came to a home on Jannee Court Friday night and found items that were consistent with a meth lab, prompting an investigation and a call to the State Bureau of Investigation, which responds whenever a suspected meth lab is reported by local authorities.

Police arrested Patrick Karl Guffey, 22, of 1108 Jannee Court early Monday. He faces charges of manufacturing methamphetamine and having substances used to make meth. Guffey is being held at Gaston County Jail under a $137,121 bond for meth-related charges and other charges including misdemeanor larceny, failure to comply with an officer, two counts of failing to appear and delivering drugs.

Guffey had a “shopping list of ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine,” according to a Gastonia Police report. Police found two Walgreen receipts showing the purchase of Sudafed.

One of Sudafed’s main ingredients — pseudoephedrine — is used to treat the common cold. It can also be used to create meth.

Police are waiting on a chemical analysis from the state SBI to verify that what police discovered was actually meth. Police are looking at two locations, 1108 Jannee Court where both Guffey and his mother live and a home next door.

Meth highs and lows

So far this year, law enforcement has discovered five meth labs in Gaston County, four meth labs in Lincoln County, 15 meth labs in Cleveland County and three meth labs in Mecklenburg County.

The discovery of meth labs in the state spiked in 2005 when the number of meth labs rose from 177 across the state in 2004 to 322 meth lab discoveries in 2005, according to the SBI. The state passed a law in 2006 restricting how much cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine could be sold to a person and requiring that those medicines be kept behind the pharmacy counter. The number of discovered meth labs dropped to 197 meth lab discoveries that year.

Statewide, 344 meth labs were discovered last year, according to the SBI.

You can reach reporter Amanda Memrick at 704-869-18329 or follow @AmandaMemrick on Twitter.

Spotting a meth lab

Signs of a homemade meth lab include:

A large amount of cold medications

A powerful chemical smell similar to paint thinner, ether, vinegar or ammonia